Change On The Way? Part 1 (Hey Texas and Ohio listen up!) (standard:Editorials, 1601 words) [1/2] show all parts
Author: Lori	Updated: Feb 23 2008	Views/Reads: 3610/2401	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
An editorial on the election. Just my point of view about what's going on while we make history. PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE!

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

Disparities Continue to Plague Criminal Justice System: African
Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be 
searched, arrested, or subdued with force when stopped by police. 
Disparities in drug sentencing laws, like the differential treatment of 
crack as opposed to powder cocaine, are unfair. *Sited from http: 
//www.barackobama.com/issues/civilrights/ 

The differences? Look how Obama focuses the issue on America. Hillary
looks to foreign lands. Could it be because she knows this is where 
most of her campaign money comes from? Just a thought. 

On Barack's website he has outlined a plan and his record is for all to
see. I can't find Hillary's anywhere. I haven't really researched it in 
depth. But if it was so important to her wouldn't it be as easy to find 
as Barack's? 

I have two children, so definitely education is important to me. 

"I don't want to send another generation of American children to failing
schools. I don't want that future for my daughters. I don't want that 
future for your sons. I do not want that future for America."- Barack 
Obama, Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Des Moines, Iowa, November 10, 2007 

“I've also proposed a new G.I. Bill of Rights for the 21st century. This
bill would provide the full cost of tuition and fees and a living 
allowance for 36 months of schooling for those who give four years of 
active duty military service.”-Hillary outlining part of her new plan 
for education reform at Plymouth State. Read her whole statement at 
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/speech/view/?id=3885. 

Barack is up front with his quote. First thing you see on his education
page is that quote. Hillary's again I had to hunt for and go to a 
speech she gave. Then I had to weed through the speech to get to where 
she talked about her plan. 

The Problem 

No Child Left Behind Left the Money Behind: The goal of the law was the
right one, but unfulfilled funding promises, inadequate implementations 
by the Education Department and shortcomings in the design of the law 
itself have limited its effectiveness and undercut its support. As a 
result, the law has failed to provide high-quality teachers in every 
classroom and failed to adequately support and pay those teachers. 

Students Left Behind: Six million middle and high school students read
significantly below their grade level. A full third of high school 
graduates do not immediately go on to college. American 15 year olds 
rank 28th out of 40 countries in mathematics and 19th out of 40 
countries in science. Almost 30 percent of students in their first year 
of college are forced to take remedial science and math classes because 
they are not prepared. 

High Dropout Rate: America has one of the highest dropout rates in the
industrialized world. Only 70 percent of U.S. high school students 
graduate with a diploma. African American and Latino students are 
significantly less likely to graduate than white students. Teacher 
Retention is a Problem: Thirty percent of new teachers leave within 
their first five years in the profession. 

Soaring College Costs: College costs have grown nearly 40 percent in the
past five years. The average graduate leaves college with more than 
$19,000 in debt. And between 2001 and 2010, 2 million academically 
qualified students will not go to college because they cannot afford 
it. Finally, our complicated maze of tax credits and applications 
leaves too many students unaware of financial aid available to them. 

Again, Barack is up front with his plan. You don't have to weed through
a long speech and read about a bunch of mumbo jumbo before he gets on 
with what he wants to do if he's elected President. 

You know something else I've noticed reading just these two things?
First. Hillary loves to place blame on other people. She blames Bush 
for everything wrong in this country today. Correct me if I'm wrong, 
but didn't she, herself, have a said to vote for, or against, 
everything he put before the Senate and Congress? Why place blame on 
one person when it was many which said yes? Did she not vote for the 
war? She blames Bush for giving friends of his jobs. Okay, didn't Bill 
do the exact same thing? Why is it only a two-way street when the blame 
can be placed on someone else instead of herself? Why does she have to 
sling so much mud when she went along with it too? Just some questions 
you need to ask yourself before you decide if this woman is right for 
the job. 

Okay, because this has gotten to be so long already and I've only put a
drop in the bucket, I'm going to end this here. I will be doing more of 
this as the next caucuses get closer. 

Texas and Ohio I urge you. No! I beg you to vote for Barack Obama for
the Democratic nomination. He still needs 689 votes before he can get 
the nomination. Please vote with your heads and not your hearts. I know 
the heart is where the truth lies, but in this instance it's not. We 
have to really think about whom we put into office this time. We need 
someone who is going to stand up and deliver, not stand up and place 
blame. 

© February 20, 2008 by Lori D.L. 


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